News

NBC Sports Group has partnered with Main Events and matchmaker J Russel Peltz to create a Fight Night Boxing Series, which will kick off on Saturday, January 21st, 2012, at the Asylum Arena in Philadelphia. The card will be the first of four planned events next year, and each will air on NBC Sports Network (currently known as VERSUS).

"We are reaching out to all promoters to get involved in the series, and our priority is simply to make exciting fights. We don't care who brings the fighters," Main Events President Kathy Duva stated. "We expect that multiple promoters will be involved in each of the Fight Night programs. All fighters who are willing to further their careers by engaging in compelling, interesting, meaningful matches are welcome."

Main Events, which boasts such notable fighters as heavyweight Tomasz Adamek and junior welterweight Zab Judah in its stable, has hosted regular shows at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, since the arena opened its doors four years ago. Attendance numbers easily exceed the five-digit mark when Adamek headlines a card there.

"This is a unique approach to have multiple promoters competing to put fights on NBC Sports Network," said Jon Miller, Programming President at NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network. "That, coupled with the legendary matchmaker J Russell Peltz serving as our quality control expert, ensures that boxing fans will enjoy exciting and competitive matches."

Peltz also voiced his excitement about the formation of the Fight Night Boxing Series.

"Fights in this series will be solid, competitive and exciting," he remarked. "Borrowing the philosophy of the late Madison Square Garden matchmaker Teddy Brenner, my bouts will be made on the following criteria: Do the fighters' styles mesh to make an exciting fight? Does this fight lead to something? And would I buy a ticket to it? These should be good fights for boxing fans."

After the January 21st show in Philadelphia, the next three dates for the quarterly series were confirmed to be March 24th, June 16th and December 8th. Sites for those events have not been announced yet.